The sun., 1887-04-17
WHAT JACK DOES IN A DAY.
IT rs a HARD LIFE OR AN EASY ONE,
As YOV LOOK At 1T.


find "all work and no play" on board ship.
and that they never get to church, but have
plenty Of swearing and no praying" The let
ter concludes by saying: Come and see US
work all day and drill at night"
In order to learn definitely what naval ap-
prentices were obliged to do when on board
ship lying in tho navy yard. reporter talked
to two apprentices as to the days routine, and
afterward with the executive officer OF one OF
tho ships. The stories coincided. To some
boys, but not many, who live on shore the life
of naval apprentice would seem to be one Of
great hardship, but to others, particularly those
boys who have to work ten hours day in dark
and poorly ventilated shops at dirty and dis
agreeable Jobs. the life would seem to have
good many amenities.
Apprentices are first shipped In the navy on
board tho receiving ship Minnesota, now lying
at the pier at tho foot OF West Twenty eighth
street. From there they are soon sent to the
training ships. which are simply out-of-date
men -of-war, where they are taught to go aloft.
to handle the sails. to send the yards and masts
down and up. bend the sails, make and repair
the rigging and sails and, In short. to do
all the work once required OF an Ameri-
can seaman. In addition. they receive certain
instructions in the elementary studies common
to public schools. and where a lad shows special
aptitude for study in any branch, as naviga-
ton, gunnery, &C.. hc is sure to be encouraged
by some one Of the officers over him. so that a
good deal of proficiency may be attained.
After ycar or on the training ship the boy
is sent to some ship or one OF the stations. 1t
is here that the real life OF the sailor begins.
Although yGaIss,sr in years psnrhans not
Obliged to stand his watch and watch: four
% old Salt IT, and nd must @ do his SHARE Of the disagree
able work that must be done when in port.
1t Is the work which is REQUIRED Of the ap.
Yard yard Of which THE suns Correspondent com
plains. The work differs in the various ships.
ence being due to, the difference in the, dis
position Of executive officers Some officers
their sa the rSuns 4. sse Ct TsatSsr
is pleasant. and at 6 II it is, not The other
morning the men on one ship in the navy
were were scrubbins down the upper deck, although
the thermometer registered 26 degrees. In q
se ot csd n til fee dphn Shen Ss aS
there was no scrubbing Of decks. It would
have been but natural for the apprentices who
grumble about the hardship Of their lives, par
no orR ooek on they
are all served with hot coffee as soon as they
are dressed and have their hammocks out Of
stroke Of work on an empty stomach.
It is one Of the customs Of the navy navy for the
sbs to get d apee frdag
and scrub them. There Is neither washer
woman nor Cbinaman on shipboard to look
or old. The washing is got onto the line before
breakfast. and it is always well done, for an
fbSss i Ss TO
soaped an ed and and then scrubbed With brush It IS
salt ,it water al lis is used. In the navy yard there
Wo, handy along the dGsks
must be washed down to. get the, soap
suds and dirt of. and BY, that time it is about
be slowed away and the decks in order, for.
rain or shine, year in and year out: the men
%S.n s slse st III hsy srSss 2sss Of 5as Ss
long as that. those who smoke manage to get
plug is shaved into the pipe, and "a few fragrant
whifrs, serve to even the temper and calm the
fufed q
decks hs sRape sn ss for H iii This sss
biore ST. oesek The rsmans Of brsaE
fast, must be cleared away. the brass
the mem and this 1ae includes The
tices) must look after their own appearance;
Hair, must be combed face and mech, and
$3.50 the boatswnin blows a ripping blast on his
whistle and calls, all hands to quarters when
ss enemy shp the lee &c BOW and
a battle impended The men once in their
places the fact is reported by the officer Of the
the Captain. and then these three officers pass
along. the decks fore and aft and look sharp at
ing out. to the dismay Of the Delinquent. such
things rs are not shipshapee and Bristol fash
ion. When everything has been looked after.
to the officer, of the deck, who IN turn
a wh his Whistle again and Sa%s the
Sometimes they don't pipe down. They gen.
orally, IN fact. pass from half an hour to an
the guns east loose as If to attack an enemy.
The men may be instructed in the art Of shoot
S tx youns 90 ae
customed to lie a6ed until 10 O'clock in the
morning after night b before e, at IT. the s theatre.
men not long from the wheat field, or the coal
mine or the packing room Of dry goods store.
once. it would not appear to be Very hard work.
work. Every ship is ,self-sustaining. Some
here or repair bulkhead there. Machinists
are put setting mp or cleaning. some part, of the
left over Gy the last Adminstration, % to making
rspahr, II, Is need OF gaGst
ecutive officer who can't give the officer OF the
deck enough Instructions in five minutes TO
hours, At, 12 dinner is served, and i is said
that the little drill after quarters and the little
work after drill are 80 well adapted to settle
and digest breakfast that a sailors appetite is
Just as good. although but 81 hours intervene
between the meals, as the appetite of the wage
Garner on shore who breakfasts from 5h to 6
hours before dinner. AT any rate Jack has o
full hour for his dinner. and the larger part OF
it passes while he Is over tho mess kid:
After dinner he has II little touch OF drill, as
n rule. and then more work until AZ or s. ac-
cording to the disposition of the executive off,
Ger, md according, 80 the apprentices say. to
ment on shore. After supper Il gang Of the
men may go ashore. and over to the city. The
rest have their time TO themselves. They can
read, or make or repair their clothing, or smoke
and spin twisters or write to friends until o
O'clock, when ali must turn In. and lights must
be put out.
On Saturday no work or drilling is done
after dinner. The lads in the yard play ball or
DO pretty much as as they please. On Sunday
o'clock. but after t,r that no work is is done A
ceiNing ship every Sunday morning, and In the